Are Affirmations Bragging?

Think Positive Apparel’s ‘wise owl’ will show you how humble she is by truly being humble.

All of our designs are made with tiny, positive words and some of our designs are made of tiny, positive “I am” affirmations. These are phrases like: “I am mindful” “I am forgiving” “I am patient”. On occasion, the question comes up: are affirmations boastful? Is declaring, “I am [something positive]” bloating our heads and inflating our egos?

It all comes down to how the phrase (or thought) is being used. If I am declaring, “I am smart” to show off to someone (even myself) then, yes, I am feeding my ego and a catastrophic chain reaction my very well swell my head to ginormous proportions.

If, however, I am using the “I am statement” in an effort to re-enforce a truth within me, then we have an affirmation being used for good. For example, if I am about to go into an important meeting where I am giving a speech and I remind myself that I am articulate, then I am creating a vibration of sorts that will serve me when I walk into that meeting.

Imagine the results of said meeting if my last thought before entering the room was “I am awful at public speaking” compared to “I am articulate. I can effectively communicate this material”.

A litmus test to see if your using your “I am” declarations for ego or for growth: Am I saying it to take on that truth and to use it in the present moment? Am I saying, “I am strong” to reinforce that fact about me before I face a tough situation? Or am I saying, “I am strong” for some other affect? Because in the end, what we declare comes secondary to our actual actions and results. You don’t simply tell someone you are grateful, you show them through your authentic being-ness (tone of voice, action, presence, etc).

What are your thoughts on the line dividing bragging statements from positive affirmations? Leave a comment below and let us know!